Torpedo exploding mechanism



Feb. 22, 1949. c. T, MlNKLER 2,462,118

TORPEDO EXPLODING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 6, 1952 2 sheetsy-sheet 1 Patented Feb. 22, 1949 This invention relates to torpedo exploding mechanism and more particularly to an exploding mechanism which, upon passing under a ship is, by the shadow thus created, caused to function to explode the torpedo.

Torpedoes now in general use are adapted to explode on impact with the outer surface of a target. Capital ships are at these surfaces protected against such attacks, If the torpedo could be caused to explode directly under the ship, greater damage would be done than otherwise as at this point it is not as well protected. Furthermore, there would be the additional advantage of bringing into edect both the detonating and pressure Waves and make it practically impossible to shield the ship from such an explosion. Also, if a torpedo could be caused to explode by passing in the vicinity of a ship, the size of the target would be increased both as to depth and width and correspondingly increase the chances of making hits.

This invention is based upon the utilization of energy from a source of light such as the sun,

and the device is caused to function by a reduction in the amount of light energy reaching said device due to the presence of a foreign-body large enough to cast a distinct shadow. This reduction.'`

in energy causes a reduction in the current iiowing through a photo-electric cell which in'turn causes a variation of the bias on a vacuum tube to such an extent as to cause a considerable vari' ation in the current owing in its plate circuit. This variation in current is applied to the grid of a high capacity triode, thereby causing a much greater current to flow through a solenoid which, through appropriate mechanism, causes the'torpedo to be exploded.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a torpedo iiring mechanism that will function Without the torpedo coming into direct contact with a target.

Another object is to provide a torpedo ring device of such character as will be safe to handle and which will not assume an armed position until a predetermined distance from the firing point has been reached.

A further object is to provide a torpedo firing device which will cause the torpedo to lre at the most vulnerable part of the target.

A further object is to provide a torpedo ring device which can be used in conjunction with impact ring apparatus, used on torpedoes at the present time, Without impairing the efficiency of the same.

A further object is to provide a torpedo ring amended April` 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) devicev which is self-contained and can be given independent periodical able condition.

With the above and other objects in view, this f invention consists in the construction, lcombination and arrangement of parts as Will be more fully described hereinafter,- in connectionffvvitlrV the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 isa diagrammatic View. of the arrange-- ment of the apparatus of this invention as as-'" sembled in the body'of a torpedo; e

Fig. 2 shows a method of acquiring power for the apparatusof this invention;

Fig. 3 is a Wiring diagram showing theelec` trical circuits employed' in this invention;

Fig. 4 shows a photo-electric cell mounted near a window in the body ofatorpedo. l

Fig. 5 is a detail side elevational View of they elements immediately associated with the firing mechanism.

Referring now to Fig. l,

dition to carrying the completely assembled torpedo ring device. Its outer-surface is made to conform to the contour of the torpedo so that-it will not increasev the normal resistance to the travel of the torpedo through-the water. Cast in the under side ofthe base plate lll is a channel Il that permits the water flowing through it to act on the impeller or water vvheell IZ--housed therein. .Impeller l2,'through shaft i3, drives), generator I4 which supplies the.electricalenergy for the circuits comprising an amplifying triode I5, a high current -capacity triode I6,'a vvoltagev control tube il, photo-electric cell i8, potential" of impeller I2 that, through shaft I3,`drives genl erator ld. The shunt field 281s such that the generator quickly builds up to its operating po tential, but in order to maintainthis Vpotential of the generator comparatively constantwwith varying torpedo speedaan opposing neld winding 29 is provided. This opposed eld 'winding is inseries with a gas tube l1 which, `when the poten-YT tial of the generator `reaches a predetermined"- value, permits'a ilovv of current through the op'-A posed eld Winding, thereby reducing the fieldof'f the generator and .tending to maintain its potentests .to assure its work-# l0 .denotes the base Y that forms an integral part of the torpedo in adtial output constant, regardless of the speed of rotation of the impeller.

The generator I4 is provided with two armatures 30 and 3|. Armature 30 supplies grid and plate potential for, and armature 3I lights the laments of, tubes I5 and I6. The time required to heat the filament, together with the releasing of the exploder locking device (not shown),v affords the necessary delay to prevent premature exploding. The potential divider I9 is across the terminals of armature 30, and the lament of tubes I5 and I6 are connected to the potential divider at 32. The grid of tube I5 is connected through resistance 2I to the potential divider IS at 33 and the grid of tube I6 is connected through resistance 23 to the negative end of potential divider I9 and armature 30. It is clear that this causes the laments of both tubes I5 and I6 to assume a higher potential than their respective grids, or, in other words, these tubes have a negative bias. The bias of tube I5 is so adjusted that it operates at the midpoint of its amplication curve. The drop in potential created by the iiow of the plate current of tube I5 through resistance 22 reduces the potential of armature 30 to a value that is Proper for the plate of tube I5. The plate current of tube I5 also flows through the lower end of potential divider I9 from connection 32. The photo-electric cell I8 is connected across the plate and grid of tube I5 and while it is exposed to the light permits a small amount of current to flow through resistance 22 and 2|Y and the lower part of potential divider I9 from connection 33. With the plate 4current owing normally in tube I5, the bias on tube IE is so adjusted that it is just sulicient to prevent flow of current in its plate circuit through solenoid 20. With this method of adjusting the bias of tube IS, a change in the potential of armature 33 which increases the plate potential on the tube will likewise increase the bias, and vice versa. t is evident that such an arrangement permits a bias adjustment very near the blocking point of the tube, so that a small change in the potential on the grid of tube I6 will cause current to flow in the plate circuit and at the same time without danger that such plate current will be caused to flow due to variations in the supply of plate potential. When the torpedo passes underr a ship, the current flowing through photo-electric cell I8 is suddenly decreased causing a variation in the potential on the grid of tube I5. The change of potential is greatly amplied by tube I5 by a lever 26 to rotate about its pivot as shown by the arrow, thereby tripping the exploder mechanism (not shown).

Fig. 4 shows how the photo-electric cell I8 is mounted near a window in the upper portion of the hull of a torpedo. In the drawing, numeral 31 represents a portion of the hull of a torpedo having an opening 38 over which a casing 39 is mounted. rIhe glass 40 ts into a recess 4I of the casing 39 that is provided with gaskets 42 and is held in place by ring 43 that is secured to the casing by screws 44. The leads 45 from the photo-electric cell pass through the stufng box The tests show that daylight without bright sunlight is sufficient to cause the apparatus to work satisfactorily.

It will be understood that the above description and accompanying drawings comprehend only the general and preferred embodiment of my invention, and that various changes in the construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be made within the scope of the appended claims without sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention. l

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

1. A torpedo exploding device, comprising a rst thermionic tube, a second thermionic tube, the

.output of said first tube being operatively connected to the control electrode of said second tube, means for maintaining the proper dilerences of potential between the cathodes and anodes of said tubes, means for maintaining the proper bias on said rst tube and for normally maintaining the control electrode of said second considerable reduction in plate current which reduces the drop in potential through resistance 22 or the potential on the plate of tube I5 is suddenly increased. This causes an increase in the potential of the left-hand plate of condenser 34 and a corresponding decrease inthe potential of its right-hand plate which, in turn, results in an increase in the potential of the grid of tube I6 since resistance 23 serves to confine this `change of potential to the grid. This increase in the potential of the grid of tube I6 causes current to flow in its plate circuit through solenoid 20 causing the torpedo to explode,

The method of operating the exploder is as follows: Shaft 34.is geared to the generator I4 and drives the ratchet wheel 21, as indicated by the arrow. When solenoid 20 is de-energized, the armature 35 rests against latch 24 and, when solenoid 20 is energized, moves in the direction shown by the arrow, and through latch 24 and pivotedV piece 36 forces pawl 25 into engagementwith ratchet wheel 21 that, by its rotation, causes tube at such a potential with respect to the potential of its cathode and anode that relatively little current iiows from the anode of said second tube, light responsive means connected between the grid and anode of said first tube and responsive toa change of intensity of light energy striking it to cause a relatively large ow of current from the anode of said second tube, and current responsive means in the anode circuit of said second tube for exploding said torpedo.

2. A torpedo explo-ding device, comprising a irst thermionic tube, a secondthermionic tube, a generator consisting of a first and second armature, the first armature being adapted to heat the filaments of said rst and second tubes, the second armature being adap-ted to supply potential to the grids and anodes of said liirst and second tubes, a potential divider across kthe terminals of said second armature, contact means connecting the cathodes of said rst and secondtubes to said potential divider at such a point that the respective grids of said tubes will have a proper biasing potential, a first resistance in series with saidsecond armature and the anode of said rst tube for reducing the potential of said second armature to a value proper for the anode of said iirst tube, light responsive means connected across the grid and anode of said rst tube, a second and a third resistance in the grid circuits of said rst and second tubes respectively for localizing the veffect of variations in potential'impressed upon these grids respectively, and current responsive means in the anode circuit of said second tube for exploding said torpedo. v

3. A torpedo exploding device, comprising a rs't thermionic tube, a second thermionic tube, a generator consisting of a first an-d second armature, the iirst armature being adapted to heat the filaments of said first and second tubes, a eld Winding connected across the terminals of said second armature and creating flux that threads both the rst and second armature, a gas tube, a reversed eld Winding connected in series with said gas tube, said gas tube and reversed field being in parallel with the iield Winding and acting to maintain the output potential of said rst and second armatures substantially constant, a potential divider across the terminals of said second armature, contact means connecting the cathodes of said rst and second tubes to said potential divider at such a point that the respective grids of said tubes Will have a proper biasing potential, a first resistance in series with said second armature and the anode of said rst tube for reducing the potential of said second arma- L ture to a value proper for the anode of said first tube, a photo-electric cell connected across the grid and anode of said first tube, a second and a third resistance in the grid circuits of said iirst and second tubes respectively for localizing the eiect of variations in potential impressed upon these grids respectively, and current responsive means in the anode circuit of said second tube for exploding said torpedo.

4. Ay torpedo exploding device, comprising a g;

first thermionic tube, a second thermionic tube operatively connected to the grid of said nrst tube, a generator adapted to heat the cathodes and supply potential to the grids and anodes of said tubes, an impeller so installed as to be acted I upon by the flow of liquid through a channel when the torpedo is moving through a `medium of said liquid, an opposed field winding, a gas tube in series with said opposed field Winding and cooperating With the same to maintain the potential of said generator approximately constant regardless of the speed at Which the torpedo moves through said medium, light responsive means associated with the grid of said second tube, and current responsive means in the anode circuit of said first tube adapted to be energized by a variation in the energy flowing from said light responsive means -resulting from a change in the amount of light energy striking same, thereby causing the torpedo to explode.

5. A torpedo exploding device, comprising a Vrst thermionic tube, a second thermionic tube operatively connected to the grid of said first tube, a generator adapted to heat the cathodes and supply potential to the grids and anodes of said tubes, an impeller so installed as to be acted upon by the flow of liquid through a channel when the torpedo is moving through a medium of said liquid, light responsive means associated with the grid of said second tube, and current responsive means in the anode circuit of said rst tube adapted to be energized by a variation in the energy flowing from said light responsive means resulting from a change in the amount of light energy striking same, thereby causing the torpedo to explode.

6. A torpedo exploding device, comprising a saidlight' vresponsive means', 'thereby cusinsglftli torpedo to explode. f

7. A torpedo exploding device, comprising a rst thermionic tube, a second thermionic tube operatively connected to the grid of said first tube, a generator to supply heating current'to the cathodes and supply potential to the v'grids and anodes of said tubes, means operatively'associated with the grid of the' second tube to block said tubes, said means being responsiveto a change in an energy field adjacent a. target to unblock said tubes, and a solenoid inthe anode circuit of said first tube energized by variations in energy flowing from said energy responsive means.

8; A torpedo exploding device, comprising" a nrst thermionic tube, a second thermionic tube operatively connected to the grid of said first tube, means to heat the cathodes and supply potential to the grids and anodes of said tubes, means operatively associated with the lgrid of said second tube to block said tubes, said last mentioned means being responsive to a change in an energy field adjacent a target to unblock said tubes, and a solenoid in the anode circuit of said first tube to be energized by variations in energy owing from saidenergy responsive means. l

9. A torpedo exploding device, comprising a thermionic tube, light responsive means lcon-- nected to bias the grid of said tube to keep the v plate current below a predetermined minimum value under normal daylight conditions but to cause a large plate current to flow when daylight is cut off therefrom by proximity of a target, and means operable by said large plate current to fire the charge of the torpedo. k

l0. A torpedo exploding device, comprising 1a thermionic tube, means responsive to normal daylight to prevent the plate current from said tube from exceeding a predetermined minimum value but to cause a large plate current to flow when daylight is prevented from reaching said responsive means, and means operable by said large plate current to actuate the exploding mechanism of a torpedo but not operable by current from said plate under said normal daylight conditions. Y

11` A torpedo exploding device, comprising a thermionic tube, lightv responsive means subjected to natural light only and connected to affeet the potential on the grid of said tube Whereby the plate current of said tube is kept small during exposure to normal daylight but a large current flows When the light thereon is diminished, and exploding mechanism operable by the larger plate current flowing when the light is diminished as aforesaid.

12. A torpedo exploding device, comprising a thermionic tube,` light responsive means subjected to natural light only associated with the grid of said tube to vary the potential of said grid, and current responsive means connected to be energized by the increased plate current of said tube when the potential on its grid is changed by variations in the energy flowing from said light responsive means due to diminution in the natural light received by said light responsive means.

13. The combination with a torpedo containing an explosive charge, of means carried by said torpedo for receiving natural light through the Water above said torpedo, .and means operated by the diminution of said light for causing the detonation of said explosive charge.

14. In a torpedo, an explosive charge, a light 15. In. combination with a torpedo containingan explosive charge, means carried by said torpedo for receiving natural light transmitted directly through the Water, and meansfoperatedf'by the change in intensity of said light caused by passing under a ship for causing the detonation of said explosive charge.

16.1n a moving body, an explosive charge, means for detonating said charge, a light sensitive device for operating said de'tonating means so that when the illumination on saiddeviceis changed it will cause the detonation of said ex'- plosive charge and means for preventing the detonation of said explosive charge for a predetermined timeA after the launching .of said body.

17. In combination with a moving under Water body, an explosive charge carried thereby, light receptive means mounted on said body to `receive natural light from the surface, transmitted directly through the intervening water anda detonator operated by said light receptive means for detonating said explosive charge when the intensity of illumination is diminished.

18. vIn-combination with a moving under Water body, an explosive charge, means for causing the detonation of said charge and light sensitive means adapted to respond to natural light transmitted from the surface directly through the intervening Water for controlling saiddetonating means so that when the intensity of illumination of said light sensitive means is changed itwill cause the detonation of said explosive charge.

1:9. In combination With a moving underwater body, an explosive charge carried thereby, means carried by said body for receiving radiation from an externalsource transmitted directly through the intervening water, and means operated by the variation of said radiation caused by the shadow of an object for causing the detonation of said explosive charge.

8 20.' In;co1rlbination with a moving underwater body; anexplosive ycharge,;means fory causing .the detonation of said charge, and radiation receptive means adaptedgt-oreceive radiation from anexternalfsource transmitted directly through theintervening Water forv controlling saidldetonating means so thatwhenthe intensity of radiationl is changedby the shadow of an object it will cause the detonationof said explosive charge.

\ 2l. In a submarine torpedo .adaptedV to travel entirely. submerged,` .control l mechanism `on said torpedo, and lightureceptive means onfsaid torpedo for controllngsaid mechanismresponsive tolnaturai :light transmitted Adirectly through the;

water .above said torpedo.

22.` In atorpeddan explosive charge, means to cause said torpedo totravel through thewaterf'at a Idepthv'below .the draft of a Ytarget ship::and means yoperable-,by the shadow of the ship'wh'en the torpedo passes thereunder for detonating said explosive chargefs CHESTER T. MINKLER.

REFERENCES CITED The' following references of this patent: L

UNITED STATES PATENTS i are of record'in the OTHER REFERENCES Article-Jail'Deliveries Prevented by Photo- Cell-Controlled Gunsi Electronics, April 1930.

Publishedl by McGraw-Hill Pub. Co.,V 10 Ava-and- 36th St.=N. Y. 

